Search location by ZIP code

NEWS ARCHIVE

Advertisement

Drug czar funding continued over questions of effectiveness

Lawmakers are allowing the state's drug czar to stay on the job for the next six months, despite questions over whether he is effectively combating the state's heroin and prescription drug abuse problems.

Lawmakers are allowing the state's drug czar to stay on the job for the next six months, despite questions over whether he is effectively combating the state's heroin and prescription drug abuse problems.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 5:54 PM EDT Jul 29, 2015

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT JENNIFER: JUST A REMINDER, WE WILL HAVE COMPLETE COVERAGE FROM PATRIOTS TRAINING CAMP STARTING TOMORROW. JOSH: AMID THE TIGHTENING GRIP OF A HEROIN EPIDEMIC IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, THE MAN IN CHARGE OF THE STATES RESPONSE TO IT WAS ON THE HOT SEAT IN CONCORD TODAY. THIS AS LAWMAKERS HAD TO DECIDE WETHER TO FUND THE POSITION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE'S DRUG CZAR WHICH THEY DID, BUT NOT BEFORE PUBLICLY QUESTIONING WETHER THE MAN HOLDING THE POSITION WAS WORTH THE MONEY. R.I.M -- I AM JOHN WOZMAK THE DIRECTOR OF SUBSTANCE MISUE OR BEHAVIOR HEALTH. REPORTER: AKA THE NEW HAMPSHIRE DRUG CZAR, IN CHARGE OF THE STATES RESPONSE TO THE WAR ON HEROIN AND OPIOD ADDICTION. BUT FOR LAWMAKERS JUDGING HIS 6 FIGURE PAYCHECK,SOME HAVENT SEEN ENOUGH ACTION. WE ARE DOING SO LITTLE AROUND HERE TO STOP THE FAUCET OF CREATING NEW ADDICTS. WE HAVE SEVERAL THINGS GOING ON, ALL OF WHICH ARE HAPPENING INDEPENDENTLY. REPORTER: WITH HEROIN OVERDOSE DEATHS GOING THROUGH THE ROOF IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, THE COMMITTEE DID DECIDE $112,000 FROM THE STATE'S CHARITABLE FOUNDATION TO FUND WOZMAKS POSITION IS WORTH THE MONEY BUT THE CONFIDENCE APPEARS TO BE IN THE POSITION, NOT THE MAN HOLDING IT. SO WE HAVE TO SEPARATE THE NEED FOR THE POSITION WHICH I BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE FROM THE PERSON DOING IT WHO I BELIEVE HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY INEFFECTIVE. BASED ON WHAT I HAVE HEARD AND SEEN, AND PEOPLE I HAVE TALKED TO, I DON'T HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE. REPORTER IN RECENT WEEKS WOZMAK : HAS BEEN UNDER FIRE FOR FAILING TO REACH OUT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR HIGHLIGHT SUCCESSES IN COMBATTING THE HEROIN PROBLEM. LAST WEEK WOZMAK DID MAKE SEVERAL RECCOMENTDATIONS MOSTLY FOCUSED ON EDUCATION AND PREVENTION, AND TOLD THE COMMITTEE THAT IN 127 DAYS ON THE JOB, HE HAS SPOKEN WITH 142 PEOPLE. THERE IS A MILLION WEAKNESSES, AND THERE IS A CURSE OF PEOPLE TO BRING TOGETHER.AND THAT'S BEEN REALLY THE FOCUS OF MY TERM HERE. REPORTER: MOVING FORWARD, MANY ARE ASKING ONE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION. WHO IS IN CHARGE? ARE YOU IN CHARGE OF THE WAR

Drug czar funding continued over questions of effectiveness

Lawmakers are allowing the state's drug czar to stay on the job for the next six months, despite questions over whether he is effectively combating the state's heroin and prescription drug abuse problems.